


Could Be Just Like It Was...

by JASPERFDENT



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Abuse, Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Torture, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:07:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25755592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JASPERFDENT/pseuds/JASPERFDENT
Summary: Welcome to the Delancey brother’s backstory nobody asked for.
Kudos: 10





	Could Be Just Like It Was...

**Author's Note:**

> Triggers are in the tags be safe

Morris pulled Oscar out of the house, trying to see through his own tears as he heard his father’s screams. “You’re okay—“ he didn’t believe his words, but they needed out and fast. “ _YOU’RE_ the reason your mama ain’t here you little shit!” As he heard glass shatter behind him, he continued running, ignoring everything other than feeling his brother lean against him as he’d ran down a path he was too familiar with.

“If ya ain’t important come back next year—!” Wiesel opened the door, noticing the boys and stepping aside, grabbing anything he could as he sat the duo down. “Cmon kid, he ain’t gonna hurt you anymore, alright?” Wiesel glanced to Morris, who’d immediately started grabbing bandages for his brother. “What happened?” Morris distracted Oscar with a bear he’d shoved into his bag, “Pissed pa off, I guess..” he cleared his throat, going back to his younger brother as he bounced the bear around with a voice to amuse him. 

Since then, they hadn’t seen their father, Uncle Wiesel was caring, they had clothes, food, and— for once, something close to a familial bond that wasn’t just the brothers. 

“I gotta have someone over from work, you two’se gonna go to the lodging house— nice guy owns it, promise.” Oscar nodded, nudging his brother, who shoved back, a bit of bickering between the two before Wiesel rushed them out. When they entered, they saw a much younger boy light up, quick to join the game, they learned the newsboys’ names and interests. They’d bonded with Cowboy the most, they played Cowboy and Sheriff until they’d fallen asleep!

Cowboy shook the two awake, pointing to Wiesel, “I’ll see you guys again?” With a grin and a nod, the boys rushed to their uncle, hugging his side as they explained how kind everyone was, a smile on Kloppman’s face as Jack recapped what he’d ‘forgotten’ of the night. 

Their first jobs, muscle for the newsies!! They didn’t sell- Morris had wanted to, but decided lugging the papers out of the wagons to the selling area and such, would help the two of them grow strength- and less risky to run into their father. They still messed around, shoving around the newsies, they still played around with Jack, but now they knew his name— and the others’. They recognized new ones as time went on, and then..some disappeared for months, returned different. 

And then it happened to them, they protected Jack, not knowing any better, and as Jack got away— they were dragged. “Do you know what happens to the little ‘FRIENDS’ of Sullivan?!” The man barked, Oscar shoving Morris behind him. Morris tried to pull himself back to protect his brother, but as Oscar was smacked, memories refilled his mind. “I’ll show you,” he purred. Morris gripped onto Oscar, trying to pull Oscar away- to hide him- be a good brother- until he felt himself being pulled, focus changing as he kicked and squirmed. 

He’d tried not to scream, Oscar didn’t need to know that, he was the big tough brother...big..tough.. the one to go to for safety. And yet he returned and could barely fight to hold onto Oscar and keep him safe, pathetic. 

The bruised siblings held eachother that night, reassuring one another until they were thrown back out to the streets, rushing to their uncle, nearly collapsing at the door. Like old times, but now Morris was the one who didn’t exactly have the free will to move his body as loosely. “Who..who was he?” Oscar nodded, sitting besides Morris. “Who was he? Why’s he care so much bout Cowboy?” 

“That was Warden Snyder, runs the Refuge, it’s why you see so many newsies filter in and out with new scars.” Wiesel sighed, taking both of their hands. “Promise me— you gotta look like their enemy, he’s gonna do this again if you’re not careful.” 

“So he can—“

“Promise me, please kid.”

The boys exchanged glances, a shaky sigh escaping, “Promise.”

They didn’t want this, but it was safety. 

Oscar’s stomach emptied into the bucket, cursing the meat that Morris had promised was still good as he leaned back. “The soakers got soaked, huh?” He laughed, his brother echoing as the ice rested against his leg. “...I miss em, I mean— Snyde’s in his own cell— why not..why not try t’ make it up?” “So that we can be turned away by a newsie? Great idea, Morr.” 

Morris mocked his brother, sighing as he leaned back. “Jack would get it...” “Jack would hate, you fucking kidding?” 

“You’re right...maybe we can just try to get a bit nicer now..?” Oscar glanced over, noticing the look in his brother’s eyes, with a sigh, he nodded. “Fine, we try and just..be like it was before.”


End file.
